FAQs
focuMy dog is uncontrollable on the walk – pulling, lunging, barking, growling – can you fix this?
We'll be able to get fantastic results with all levels of issues, from mild pulling and disobedience, to severe dog reactivity.
I have tried other trainers before and didn’t get the results I desired – what makes your program and approach different and more effective?
First, for serious behavioral issues (including leash reactivity, dog aggression, human aggression, separation anxiety), it is imperative that your training program begin with giving your dog a strong foundation in impulse control and lowering his default state of mind. In my experience, there is no quick fix or direct approach to rehabilitating serious behavioral issues. My approach honors this understanding so that my initial focus during training is on improving the dog's state of mind by teaching him impulse control and how to be calm. Any training approach that focusses initially on the unwanted behavior or even on obedience commands without addressing your dog's State of Mind, is not getting to the heart of the problem and I believe will not be able to deliver sustained improvement for the dog.
Second, half of my focus for every board and train is on what happens when the dog returns home to his owner. A critical element of success is the owner's ability to establish a new, leadership relationship with his dog during his initial weeks home which I refer to as "bootcamp". While many owners don't relish this idea initially, by the end of bootcamp it is clear that their dog is benefiting greatly with this new relationship. Providing leadership and guidance to a dog with behavioral issues allows the dog to relax into his role as he believes that you are in control. This eliminates one significant source of their behavioral issues: exerting control in the absence of any.
What is the difference between a "Board and Train", "Private Sessions", and "Bootcamp"?
>> A board and train is the time that your dog spends with me. Depending on the training program, that could range from 2 weeks to 6 weeks -- longer stays reflect more serious behavioral issues being addressed.
>> Bootcamp is the initial period after your dog returns home to you from a board and train. For any behavioral issue (leash reactivity, dog aggression, fear aggression), this period is critical for sustained success, that is, so that you can see and enjoy the same behavioral changes that you will have seen your dog achieve with me. Bootcamp is not forever but it is an important period of time starting when you pick your dog up from the board and train. Following bootcamp is a transition period for your dog to ease into "regular" life with you.
>> Private sessions are sessions where I instruct you how to train your dog. He stays with you during the course of our sessions and we meet at intervals to assess your progress and continue forward with your training goals. This is available for dogs who do not have any behavioral issues.
What happens if I don’t get the results I want from the training? Is there a guarantee?
Due to the many variables involved to create a well-behaved, balanced dog, including owner commitment, consistency, and follow-through, it would be unethical to offer a 100% guarantee. However, I choose the most dedicated and diligent owners so, in my experience, no matter how severe the issues, I consistently see breakthrough results and amazing transformations. You and I will work hand in hand as a team in your dog’s rehabilitation. This process of teamwork and collaboration begins even before I meet your dog, moves through the training process, and continues long after your dog has gone home. Once you hire me, I consider you part of the Oliver's Travels family and your success is my utmost priority.
Who will be working with my dog? Is Virginia the only trainer?
I am the only trainer. Periodically I engage assistance from an experienced dog walker for help with walks and dog socialization exercises. However, I will always be present during any work with your dog.
What's the environment like at your facility? Where do the dogs stay? How many dog are there at once?
All dogs sleep inside; each in an individual crate. I have a limited number of dogs in for training at one time, usually 3 to 4. This allows me to give each dog the personal attention he needs. Each dog's daily itinerary includes a structured walk, dog-dog socialization, obedience training, duration work (the Place command), and crate time. Weaved into all of these activities is a focus on teaching the dog calm, respectful behavior -- these "small moments" are things you'll learn to look for as well when your dog is back home with you.
Do you use treats to train dogs?
My training approach is relationship-based and while I do use positive reinforcement I don't use treats. Treat training has many good applications but also significant limitations when an over arching goal is for the dog to learn to be calm by default. Treats tend to cause dogs to be excited, hyper, and food-fixated rather than relaxed and calm. High excitement is great if you are training flyball or agility, but encourages exactly the opposite effect when you are training a family dog to calmly co-habitate with you.
What is Balanced Training?
Taking a balanced approach to dog training includes focusing first on the dog's state of mind. Teaching a dog how to be calm and relaxed means that he is less apt to react to triggering stimuli and more able to respond to your commands.
Balanced training also means using both positive and negative reinforcement with a dog. During the teaching phase of training, the dog learns through positive reinforcement. Once the dog has been fairly and thoroughly taught and he demonstrates that he understands the commands, negative reinforcement, or corrections, are given if the dog chooses not to comply. While not the Romantic side of training, it is integral to the success especially for the owners. Much of the change in your dog -- from listening to and obeying commands to his no longer having behavioral issues -- will be because of the new, leadership relationship you will be creating with him. Holding him accountable for commands he understands will be a key in having him believe in the leadership you'll be establishing with him.
Why do you use prong collars?
The prong collar is an incredible tool for connecting and communicating. It is a key element in creating a harmonious relationship with the least amount of physical stress to the dog and owner. Looks aside, prong collars have proved to be the least physically taxing, most humane, and one of the safest tools available. It's analogous to giving a hearing aid to a hard of hearing person. If you speak very loudly to -- or yell at -- someone who is hard of hearing they hear you but can't easily understand what you're saying. It comes through as garbled noise. If he's wearing a hearing aid, not only can he hear you at a conversational tone, he can understand each word clearly. For dogs, the prong collar gives them the benefit of feeling even the slightest pressure you apply to the leash and relieves them from your having to pull, jerk, or otherwise use force to communicate with them.
Check out the following videos from Sean O'Shea's The Good Dog to learn more about how this tool is used and its impact:
Prong Collar Training Video, Part 1 (link opens in a new window)
Prong Collar Training Video, Part 2
Manolo on a Walk -- from pulling issues to a nice walk using the prong collar for the first time
Why do you use E-Collars (Remote Collars)?
Modern E-Collar training is the most effective, most reliable, most humane, and transformational training tool available today. It is a low-level, communication-style training, which looks nothing like the E-Collar training of the past. The essence of this training is to overlay the stimulation from the Remote Collar on commands the dog has learned using the physical leash. The benefits are profound. Your dog is more responsive to you and he can enjoy the freedom of being off leash in safe, appropriate environments while you have the security of knowing when you call him to come he'll comply.
For several examples of what modern E-Collar training looks like, below are a few videos from Sean O'Shea's The Good Dog:
E-Collar Introduction with Gracie Part 1 (links open in a new window)
E-Collar Introduction with Gracie Part 2
Lola, Introducing Recall
Geronimo, 5-month Puppy, Off Leashed Trained
My dog is fearful and nervous – I shouldn’t use an E-Collar with him, right…?
Actually, modern E-Collar training is the best training for dogs with these types of issues. My E-Collar training system is designed to create more confident, relaxed, and comfortable dogs.
My dog is really aggressive. Do you work with aggressive dogs?
Yes.
I can’t afford your programs, but I’m in a bad situation with my dog – what can I do?
In special cases, I can sometimes arrange a payment plan – please contact me for details. If this is still not feasible there are excellent resources from Jeff Gellman and Sean O'Shea who provide a wealth of free training videos. Jeff Gellman, Solid K9 Training YouTube videos. Sean O'Shea, The Good Dog YouTube videos.
We'll be able to get fantastic results with all levels of issues, from mild pulling and disobedience, to severe dog reactivity.
I have tried other trainers before and didn’t get the results I desired – what makes your program and approach different and more effective?
First, for serious behavioral issues (including leash reactivity, dog aggression, human aggression, separation anxiety), it is imperative that your training program begin with giving your dog a strong foundation in impulse control and lowering his default state of mind. In my experience, there is no quick fix or direct approach to rehabilitating serious behavioral issues. My approach honors this understanding so that my initial focus during training is on improving the dog's state of mind by teaching him impulse control and how to be calm. Any training approach that focusses initially on the unwanted behavior or even on obedience commands without addressing your dog's State of Mind, is not getting to the heart of the problem and I believe will not be able to deliver sustained improvement for the dog.
Second, half of my focus for every board and train is on what happens when the dog returns home to his owner. A critical element of success is the owner's ability to establish a new, leadership relationship with his dog during his initial weeks home which I refer to as "bootcamp". While many owners don't relish this idea initially, by the end of bootcamp it is clear that their dog is benefiting greatly with this new relationship. Providing leadership and guidance to a dog with behavioral issues allows the dog to relax into his role as he believes that you are in control. This eliminates one significant source of their behavioral issues: exerting control in the absence of any.
What is the difference between a "Board and Train", "Private Sessions", and "Bootcamp"?
>> A board and train is the time that your dog spends with me. Depending on the training program, that could range from 2 weeks to 6 weeks -- longer stays reflect more serious behavioral issues being addressed.
>> Bootcamp is the initial period after your dog returns home to you from a board and train. For any behavioral issue (leash reactivity, dog aggression, fear aggression), this period is critical for sustained success, that is, so that you can see and enjoy the same behavioral changes that you will have seen your dog achieve with me. Bootcamp is not forever but it is an important period of time starting when you pick your dog up from the board and train. Following bootcamp is a transition period for your dog to ease into "regular" life with you.
>> Private sessions are sessions where I instruct you how to train your dog. He stays with you during the course of our sessions and we meet at intervals to assess your progress and continue forward with your training goals. This is available for dogs who do not have any behavioral issues.
What happens if I don’t get the results I want from the training? Is there a guarantee?
Due to the many variables involved to create a well-behaved, balanced dog, including owner commitment, consistency, and follow-through, it would be unethical to offer a 100% guarantee. However, I choose the most dedicated and diligent owners so, in my experience, no matter how severe the issues, I consistently see breakthrough results and amazing transformations. You and I will work hand in hand as a team in your dog’s rehabilitation. This process of teamwork and collaboration begins even before I meet your dog, moves through the training process, and continues long after your dog has gone home. Once you hire me, I consider you part of the Oliver's Travels family and your success is my utmost priority.
Who will be working with my dog? Is Virginia the only trainer?
I am the only trainer. Periodically I engage assistance from an experienced dog walker for help with walks and dog socialization exercises. However, I will always be present during any work with your dog.
What's the environment like at your facility? Where do the dogs stay? How many dog are there at once?
All dogs sleep inside; each in an individual crate. I have a limited number of dogs in for training at one time, usually 3 to 4. This allows me to give each dog the personal attention he needs. Each dog's daily itinerary includes a structured walk, dog-dog socialization, obedience training, duration work (the Place command), and crate time. Weaved into all of these activities is a focus on teaching the dog calm, respectful behavior -- these "small moments" are things you'll learn to look for as well when your dog is back home with you.
Do you use treats to train dogs?
My training approach is relationship-based and while I do use positive reinforcement I don't use treats. Treat training has many good applications but also significant limitations when an over arching goal is for the dog to learn to be calm by default. Treats tend to cause dogs to be excited, hyper, and food-fixated rather than relaxed and calm. High excitement is great if you are training flyball or agility, but encourages exactly the opposite effect when you are training a family dog to calmly co-habitate with you.
What is Balanced Training?
Taking a balanced approach to dog training includes focusing first on the dog's state of mind. Teaching a dog how to be calm and relaxed means that he is less apt to react to triggering stimuli and more able to respond to your commands.
Balanced training also means using both positive and negative reinforcement with a dog. During the teaching phase of training, the dog learns through positive reinforcement. Once the dog has been fairly and thoroughly taught and he demonstrates that he understands the commands, negative reinforcement, or corrections, are given if the dog chooses not to comply. While not the Romantic side of training, it is integral to the success especially for the owners. Much of the change in your dog -- from listening to and obeying commands to his no longer having behavioral issues -- will be because of the new, leadership relationship you will be creating with him. Holding him accountable for commands he understands will be a key in having him believe in the leadership you'll be establishing with him.
Why do you use prong collars?
The prong collar is an incredible tool for connecting and communicating. It is a key element in creating a harmonious relationship with the least amount of physical stress to the dog and owner. Looks aside, prong collars have proved to be the least physically taxing, most humane, and one of the safest tools available. It's analogous to giving a hearing aid to a hard of hearing person. If you speak very loudly to -- or yell at -- someone who is hard of hearing they hear you but can't easily understand what you're saying. It comes through as garbled noise. If he's wearing a hearing aid, not only can he hear you at a conversational tone, he can understand each word clearly. For dogs, the prong collar gives them the benefit of feeling even the slightest pressure you apply to the leash and relieves them from your having to pull, jerk, or otherwise use force to communicate with them.
Check out the following videos from Sean O'Shea's The Good Dog to learn more about how this tool is used and its impact:
Prong Collar Training Video, Part 1 (link opens in a new window)
Prong Collar Training Video, Part 2
Manolo on a Walk -- from pulling issues to a nice walk using the prong collar for the first time
Why do you use E-Collars (Remote Collars)?
Modern E-Collar training is the most effective, most reliable, most humane, and transformational training tool available today. It is a low-level, communication-style training, which looks nothing like the E-Collar training of the past. The essence of this training is to overlay the stimulation from the Remote Collar on commands the dog has learned using the physical leash. The benefits are profound. Your dog is more responsive to you and he can enjoy the freedom of being off leash in safe, appropriate environments while you have the security of knowing when you call him to come he'll comply.
For several examples of what modern E-Collar training looks like, below are a few videos from Sean O'Shea's The Good Dog:
E-Collar Introduction with Gracie Part 1 (links open in a new window)
E-Collar Introduction with Gracie Part 2
Lola, Introducing Recall
Geronimo, 5-month Puppy, Off Leashed Trained
My dog is fearful and nervous – I shouldn’t use an E-Collar with him, right…?
Actually, modern E-Collar training is the best training for dogs with these types of issues. My E-Collar training system is designed to create more confident, relaxed, and comfortable dogs.
My dog is really aggressive. Do you work with aggressive dogs?
Yes.
I can’t afford your programs, but I’m in a bad situation with my dog – what can I do?
In special cases, I can sometimes arrange a payment plan – please contact me for details. If this is still not feasible there are excellent resources from Jeff Gellman and Sean O'Shea who provide a wealth of free training videos. Jeff Gellman, Solid K9 Training YouTube videos. Sean O'Shea, The Good Dog YouTube videos.